Sessions ought to step down
Attorney General Jeff Sessions did not disclose meeting with the Russian ambassador when pointedly asked the question before his confirmation. So Republicans, do not call the Democrats partisan when they ask for Sessions to recuse himself from any investigation into Russian involvement in America’s election process. Nor are they partisan in calling for his resignation.
Rather, look to your party’s obstreperous behavior for eight years, refusing to cross lines and holding tight to partisan politics, regardless of the harm it caused America’s population — to say nothing of Republicans’ disrespectful, prejudicial disregard of Merrick Garland when nominated by former President Barack Obama. Stop rolling out the red carpet for the autocrats. Have Sessions resign!
Karen Friedman, Berkeley
Under oath
Regarding “Calls for Sessions to resign over his Russia contacts” (March 2): After I pick my jaw up off the ground, I write to comment on the article calling for Sessions’ resignation for lying while under oath to Congress about contacts with Russia.
Any public employee who lies to his or her employer during an investigation will be fired — Congress has to rely on Attorney General Jeff Sessions to tell the truth in his communications with it. If the can’t do that, he is not qualified to act as the attorney general. If he won’t resign, he should be fired.
Ellen Mendelson, San Francisco
Chosen rooster
Regarding “Hire a chicken” (March 1): I love the idea of having a caged bird in the president’s chair at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner. It should be a bantam rooster so it can interrupt proceedings with loud crowing and strut around in its cage at inappropriate times.
Barbara Tetzlaff, San Francisco
Poor service
Regarding “Hertz ‘gouging’ renters on tolls, city suit claims” (March 2): I stopped using Hertz nearly 20 years ago after it charged me for a gallon of gas when I returned a car in Rapid City, S.D. I filled the tank at a small gas station about a mile from the airport. “I know where the nearest gas station is,” said the clerk. It sure as heck wasn’t 20 miles from there. I complained to Hertz, and the company stood by the ripoff. I have probably spent $30,000 on car rentals since then, none of it with Hertz.
David Gans, Oakland
Collective effort
In David Talbot’s “Is Feinstein outdated in age of Trump?” (Feb. 28), he quoted George Lakoff saying that the Democrats should use positive terms to frame their objectives. The Republicans have tried to dismantle our national social network for decades, as well as the legal structure permitting labor unions. Now they seek to destroy even our fundamental political institutions such as the free press. The Democrats should call this “Tearing Down Our Country,” while the Democrats are working on “Building Up Our Country.”
This latter phrase then uses words that are positive to most people, including working-class ones. Progressives need to appeal to our basic desires to improve our nation as a large project requiring a collective effort.
Robert Johnston, Inverness
Great reporting
Over the many years that I have been a Chronicle reader, a few reporters stand out, and it’s time for me to publicly thank Carolyn Lochhead for her excellent stories on topics as varied as the water systems in our state to national issues like the farm bill, agriculture, politics and budgets. Lochhead’s articles are always well researched, well written, and able to explain even the most complex subject matter.
Amanda Hamilton, San Francisco
Natural world
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors has again done the right thing by voting to support the management for the city’s significant natural areas (“Natural resources plan gets go-ahead by 9-1 vote” March 1). This is a victory not only for these areas, it is a victory for the school children of San Francisco and their opportunity to learn in nature’s classrooms.
Through its Youth Stewardship Program, and in proud partnership with the Student Conservation Association, the San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department provides school children the chance to undertake hands-on habitat-restoration projects in San Francisco’s parks, including outings in significant natural areas. These areas provide a unique experience for school children — providing them a glimpse into the past when Native Americans and wildlife were the only inhabitants of what is now the city of San Francisco. Those forays provide young people a direct and personal connection to the natural world. But the natural areas need stewardship and in some cases, active management by professional resource managers within the SFRPD. Jay Watson, Regional Vice President of Student Conservation Association,
Oakland